1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and receiving audio in a Mosaic electronic program guide (EPG) service, and more particularly to a method for efficiently transmitting and receiving audio linked to each sub-picture provided through a Mosaic electronic program guide (EPG) service.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an electronic program guide (EPG) service is being commercialized to provide various types of broadcast program information. Moreover, a digital broadcast receiver such as a set-top box (STB) receives EPG information and outputs the received EPG information through a screen of an external display unit such as a television (TV), such that a user can easily search for desired broadcast program information.
The Mosaic EPG service is being carried out in order for the user to easily search for and select various broadcast programs provided through different broadcast services. The Mosaic EPG service will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating transmitting and receiving sides for transmitting and receiving a conventional Mosaic electronic program guide (EPG) service. A transmitting side 100 comprises a Mosaic screen generator 10, an encoder 11, a multiplexer (MUX) & modulator 12, an up-linker 13 and a Mosaic information generator 14.
The Mosaic screen generator 10 generates a Mosaic screen so that various broadcast programs BS 1 to BS k provided through different broadcast services can be displayed as small-sized sub-pictures within one screen. The encoder 11 encodes the Mosaic screen into a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) data stream appropriate for digital broadcast. Moreover, the MUX & modulator 12 multiplexes and modulates Mosaic information generated by the Mosaic information generator 14 and the MPEG data stream based on the encoding, and outputs a result of the multiplexing and modulation to a broadcast satellite 200 via the up-linker 13.
A digital broadcast receiver 400 such as a set-top box (STB) outputs the Mosaic EPG picture received from the broadcast satellite 200 through a screen of the TV 500.
For example, the Mosaic EPG picture can include 1st to 9th sub-pictures 1 to 9 corresponding to 1st to 9th programs 1 to 9 provided through different broadcast services within an identical screen as shown in FIG. 2.
When a selection button provided in a remote controller (not shown) or etc. is clicked in a state where the user places a cursor on one arbitrary sub-picture included in the Mosaic EPG picture, for example, in a state where the cursor is placed on the 1st sub-picture, the digital broadcast receiver 400 refers to the Mosaic information provided through the Mosaic EPG service, selects a broadcast service providing the 1st broadcast program corresponding to the 1st sub-picture, and outputs the 1st broadcast program received through the broadcast service to a main picture screen.
Thus, the user of the digital broadcast receiver can simultaneously search for various broadcast programs provided by different broadcast services through the Mosaic EPG picture, and can easily select or designate one arbitrary broadcast service.
The user of the digital broadcast receiver visually confirms a broadcast program through a sub-picture included in the Mosaic EPG picture and then selects a desired broadcast program according to a result of the confirmation. Moreover, the user may desire to listen to audio of the broadcast program corresponding to each sub-picture when selecting the desired broadcast program. That is, it is necessary that audio of each of the broadcast programs corresponding to the sub-pictures included in the Mosaic EPG picture be provided through the Mosaic EPG service. However, a method for efficiently providing audio of the broadcast programs in the Mosaic EPG picture is not provided.